


They Call Me the Wanderer

by haventacluewhatimdoing



Category: Ghosts (TV 2019)
Genre: 80s Music, Bittersweet, Gen, How Do I Tag, I love pat so much, Sad, Songfic, of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27922162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haventacluewhatimdoing/pseuds/haventacluewhatimdoing
Summary: A tune on the radio brings back memories.
Relationships: Alison & Pat (Ghosts TV 2019)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 28





	They Call Me the Wanderer

**Author's Note:**

> So I was rewatching ghosts today for the umpteenth time, when I recognised the song blaring out of the minibus at the beginning of s1ep3. It's one of my all time favourite songs, and since nobody has ever mentioned it (as far as I am aware), I decided to write a fic about it.
> 
> Title from the song itself, The Wanderer by Status Quo (originally by Dion but this is the version in Ghosts), which I listened to 3 times in a row while writing this.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Alison hummed along to the radio as she hung up a new pair of curtains in the library. She'd put Absolute 80s on the radio, since it was the music her parents had always listened to. Pat was sitting in the corner: he often enjoyed listening to music he remembered from when he was alive. He didn't recognise all of it, since he had only made it to 1984, but it made him smile every time a song he recognised came on.

"Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!" Alison sang along. Pat chuckled. He'd known about the film, and was planning to go and see it with Morris for his 40th birthday. He'd never believed in ghosts when he was alive, and so didn't even consider the portrayal of them to be wrong in the trailer. Thinking back, it was a bit preposterous that ghosts could possess people. After all, they were still human in every way apart from physically.

Well, apart from maybe Robin.

"Well, that was Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr." The radio DJ announced. "Next, and this is one of my faves, some Status Quo." Pat hummed appreciatively. They had always been one of his favourite bands. He had bought every album since the beginning in 1968, and went to see them live in 1978.

However, when he realised which song was playing, he froze.

_Well I'm the type of guy who will never settle down,  
Where pretty girls are well you know that I'm around _

Alison sang along quietly, unaware of Pat's panicking behind her.  
"I've always loved this song. What do you think, Pat?" When she got no response, she turned around.  
"Pat?" He looked up at her, biting his lip.

_They call me the Wanderer, yeah the Wanderer,  
I roam around and round and round and round and round... _

"Nothing, I just... this is the last thing I heard before I died." Pat wiped a stray tear from underneath his eye. The minibus had been tuned to Radio 2, and when Pat had started the ignition it blared out whatever was currently on - which happened to be Status Quo.

"Crap, Pat, I'm... I'm so sorry." Alison apologised, reaching over to turn the radio off.  
"Oh, don't worry about it, Alison. It's a good song. Just brings back memories, that's all." Pat waved her off.  
"No. I know you try and stay strong, Pat, but if things upset you, you tell me, okay? Don't wave it off like some mishap. It's important." Alison looked him in the eye.  
"We both live here. And I want you to be happy." Pat smiled weakly at her, overcome with emotion.

"Now, is there anything else you'd rather like to listen to?" Alison asked, picking her phone up and looking at Pat expectantly.  
"Could we have some Status Quo? Just not that one." Pat asked awkwardly.  
"Sure thing." Alison pressed play, and turned back to hanging the curtains.

Pat nodded along as the first song started. He thought about what Alison had said. He did tend to go too hard on himself, didn't he? He decided to try and change that. Sitting back in his armchair, he closed his eyes, and smiled softly as 'Rocking All Over the World' played from Alison's phone.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Pat so much.
> 
> I would love to see Status Quo live one day! They're awesome.
> 
> Ghostbusters (the film) came out in December 1984, sadly Pat died earlier that year :( BUT he would know the song as it came out in June 1984!
> 
> The Status Quo version of the Wanderer came out in 1983, hence it being on mainstream radio.
> 
> Kudos and comments make my day!


End file.
